Department for Transport

Road Works: Utilities

lord trefgarne: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Vere of Norbiton on 9 September (HL17697), what plans they have to review the legal framework under which public utility companies can obstruct the highway for urgent repairs particularly in the Greater London Authority; and which projects they are taking forward to modernise the current regime.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Department for Transport is currently considering responses to a recent consultation on amending street works permit conditions relating to portable traffic signals and pavement working. We are encouraging the minority of authorities that have not yet moved to a permit scheme to do so as these are a more effective way of planning and managing street works. In 2018, the Government announced that authorities outside London and Kent, where pioneer schemes already existed, would also now have the option of operating a street works lane rental scheme to manage the impact of works on their busiest roads at busy times. The Government has invested £10m in Street Manager, a new digital system for planning and coordinating street works, which will be used nationwide from April 2020. The Department is currently updating the technical guidance document, “Specification for the Reinstatement of Openings in Highways”, to bring it up to date and support innovation in the sector. Finally, the Department is starting to consider improvements to the street works inspection regime.

Official Cars: Electric Vehicles

lord birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of vehicles used to convey Cabinet, and other ministers, are all-electric.

baroness vere of norbiton: 48% of the GCS fleet is now either battery electric, petrol/electric hybrid or hydrogen powered. The Government Car Service (GCS) is a division of the central Department for Transport (DfT), 16% of their fleet are battery electric vehicles. The GCS are not the only provider of vehicles for ministerial transport. Some Departments have their own car fleet, others use private contractors or the Metropolitan Police, this information is not held by the DfT.

Thomas Cook: Insolvency

baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure that there is a competitive and fair purchasing process for Thomas Cook's former airline routes.

baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking, if any, to ensure that there is a competitive and fair purchasing process for Thomas Cook's former landing and take-off slots at Gatwick Airport.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Official Receiver’s duty is to realise assets to maximise returns to creditors. This involves selling viable parts of the Thomas Cook business, any discussions remain confidential between the Official Receiver and interested parties. The UK Government is not involved in decision making in relation to the allocation of airport slots.

Thomas Cook: Insolvency

baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the costs to the public arising from the collapse of Thomas Cook as a result of (1) the repatriation of passengers, and (2) the loss of tax revenues received from the company.

baroness vere of norbiton: The costs of the repatriation are not yet finalised, but we are seeking to minimise the impact on government and taxpayers by recovering costs where appropriate through the ATOL scheme, credit card companies and travel insurance. HMRC does not comment on the tax affairs of identifiable businesses.

Tour Operators: Insolvency

baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the collapse of Thomas Cook, what steps they intend to take, if any, to help protect tour operators from bankruptcies.

baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the collapse of Thomas Cook, what steps they intend to take, if any, to help airlines mitigate risks of bankruptcy.

baroness vere of norbiton: It is the responsibility of directors to decide when a business is no longer a going concern. It is not the role of government to decide on the viability of a business. As part of its duty to protect consumers, the CAA closely monitors tour operators and airlines through its management of the ATOL scheme and has strong working relationships with the UK travel sector. Now that the repatriation operation is complete, our efforts will be focused on ensuring that reforms are brought forward, taking into account the lessons learned from both the Thomas Cook and Monarch failures.

Thomas Cook: Insolvency

baroness doocey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to conduct a review of the collapse of Thomas Cook; and if so, to what timescale.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy has written to the Financial Reporting Council to ensure they prioritise, as a matter of urgency, an investigation into both the causes of the company’s failure and the conduct of its directors. The FRC will conduct a robust investigation into the preparation of the company’s accounts in compliance with these standards and seek areas where lessons may be learned. Thomas Cook Group prepared their accounts using EU-adopted International Financial Reporting Standards, which are set by the International Accounting Standards Board and used in 125 countries worldwide.

Cycleways

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they have taken to improve and extend the cycle network since the publication of their Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy in 2017.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Department for Transport has invested £210 million in the Cycle Ambition Cities programme, which to date has delivered 155 miles of new segregated cycle routes, 186 miles of new on-road and off-road routes for cyclists and pedestrians, and 136 miles of off-road cycling signage and resurfacing improvements across eight cities. The Department has also recently announced investment of £22 million to upgrade 32 routes, totalling 103 miles, along the National Cycle Network (NCN) to improve connectivity, accessibility and increase functional journeys.

Silver Jubilee Bridge

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Silver Jubilee Bridge in Runcorn will reopen.

baroness vere of norbiton: Halton Borough Council, which is responsible for the Silver Jubilee Bridge, has informed my Department that the bridge will reopen fully to pedestrians and cyclists only at the end of November 2019. The Council is taking the opportunity of the bridge’s closure to undertake major maintenance work to remove high level viaducts and embankments, and create a new roundabout to access the town centre and Runcorn Station. These improvements are part of its new Runcorn Station Quarter development. The target date for reopening the Silver Jubilee Bridge to vehicles was spring 2020. Based on the latest programme, this will now be revised to summer 2020.

Bus Services: Franchises

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps they are taking to support bus franchising in England.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Bus Services Act 2017 provides mayoral combined authorities with automatic access to franchising powers. Other local authorities may franchise bus services with the consent of the Secretary of State. Guidance on what the Secretary of State will consider in deciding whether to franchise is available on the gov.uk website. We have no plans to change those arrangements at present.

Road Traffic Control: Advertising

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact on local newspaper revenue of any proposal to remove the requirement on local authorities to advertise Traffic Regulation Orders.

baroness vere of norbiton: A discovery or user research project, carried out by the Department for Transport, Geoplace, Ordnance Survey and the British Parking Association earlier in 2019, estimated that the estimated annual advertising costs for traffic orders and temporary traffic orders across all authorities in Great Britain is approximately £49m, which accounts for 34% of the total cost of making a traffic order and 46% of the total cost of making a temporary traffic order. The discovery project findings suggest that the average cost to an authority of advertising a single traffic order is £1,021 and a single temporary traffic order is £769. The Department for Transport has not at this stage made any wider assessment of the impact on local newspaper revenues of removing the statutory requirement to place adverts for traffic orders or temporary traffic orders in local newspapers. The Department is now reviewing the legislation that applies to traffic orders with a view to consulting on proposed amendments in 2020. This may include proposals in relation to advertising, in which case this would form part of the impact assessment that will accompany the consultation.

Road Works: Pedestrian Areas

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government, in their consultation Street and road works: Street Manager and updates to permit schemes, published on 20 July, why the placement of new apparatus underground should where possible and practical be placed under the footway, footpath or verge.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government why in the consultation Street and road works: Street Manager and updates to permit schemes, published on 20 July,the need for minimal disruption to the footway, footpath or verge in the placement of new apparatus underground has not been prioritised.

lord hunt of kings heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government why in the consultation Street and road works: Street Manager and updates to permit schemes’, published on 20 July, where it is proposed that the footway, footpath or verge is used for the placement of apparatus underground, that no requirement for the alternative provision for walkers, people with disabilities and parents with young children is set out.

baroness vere of norbiton: The consultation document invited views on changes to permit scheme conditions relating to the placement of apparatus in the footway. This proposal was based on existing good practice that has been used by utility companies for some time, and recommends the placement of apparatus in the footway where possible to reduce the impact of works on congestion. We did not suggest any changes that would have compromised safe access during works for those that use the highway, including pavements. We are currently analysing the responses provided and will publish a formal response shortly.

Hammersmith Bridge: Repairs and Maintenance

the earl of caithness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the statement by the Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council that the Council will not pay for the repairs to Hammersmith Bridge, whether they intend to contribute to the cost of the repairs; and what discussions they intend to have with (1) Transport for London, and (2) Hammersmith and Fulham Council,about those bodies' contribution to those repairs.

baroness vere of norbiton: Transport in London is devolved and the maintenance of London’s roads is a matter for Transport for London (TfL) and the London Boroughs. The Department has not received a formal request for funds from either the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham or TfL for the repair of Hammersmith Bridge. Should such a request be made, we would consider it with respect to other funding requests, and in view of the devolution settlement for London.

Roads: Lancashire

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the effectiveness of the road network between East Lancashire and Yorkshire, in particular of congestion at the Colne end of the M65; and what steps they are taking if any to improve road connections in East Lancashire and to reduce congestion at Colne.

baroness vere of norbiton: In March 2017, Highways England published its South Pennines Route Strategy, which reviewed the effectiveness of the strategic road network between East Lancashire and Yorkshire. This covered Junctions 1 to 10 of the M65. Lancashire County Council is responsible for the section of the M65 from Junction 10 at Burnley through to its end in Colne.Priorities for improvements to the local highway network in East Lancashire were set out in the East Lancashire Highways and Transport Masterplan, produced by Lancashire County Council and Blackburn with Darwen Council, as local transport authorities in 2014. Local Growth Fund support has been provided to a number of schemes in this Masterplan.In March 2019, the Department announced that Highways England would work with Transport for the North on a study looking at options for improving road links between the M65 and north and west Yorkshire. The output of this study will inform consideration of the case for future investment.

Preston-Colne Railway Line

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the passenger usage statistics for each station on the East Lancashire line between Blackburn and Colne, for each of the last five years.

baroness vere of norbiton: In the last five years passenger usage for stations on the East Lancashire line has remained broadly static at around 2.3 million entries & exits. Detailed analysis at each station for the past five years can be found on the ORR website and in the table below. Station2017-182016-172015-162014-152013-14Blackburn1.261.281.161.261.33Rishton0.0510.0520.0510.0540.058Church & Oswaldwistle0.0390.0390.040.0420.044Accrington0.460.460.430.380.37Huncoat0.0220.0250.0230.0230.021Hapton0.01650.01630.01510.01820.0191Rose Grove0.0810.0720.0570.0430.041Burnley Barracks0.0220.020.0250.0260.025Burnley Central0.120.1260.1290.1450.15Brierfield0.0310.0330.0320.0320.035Nelson0.1230.1330.130.1320.147Colne0.0920.0960.0970.0970.098Total2.31752.35232.18912.25222.3381*figures by million

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the costs resulting from private finance initiative road maintenance contracts agreed by Highways England; andwhat assessment they have made of the adequacy of the level of service provided by those agreements.

baroness vere of norbiton: Highways England has no plans to fundamentally review the terms and conditions of its private finance initiative (PFI) road maintenance contracts, including the costs payable under those contracts. Highways England has previously reviewed its PFI contracts and concluded that cancelling or attempting to change them is unlikely to offer value for money. It should be noted that eight of Highways England’s eleven contracts in place are due to end in 2026/27. Highways England manages the costs due to its PFI providers strictly in accordance with the contracts and has taken advantage of cost saving opportunities where possible, for example through project re-financings. In 2018, the largest of its PFIs, the M25 contract, was refinanced achieving annual savings for each year of the remaining contract period of around £10 million. Highways England undertakes monthly and annual performance and financial assessments to ensure all charges levied by PFI Companies are compliant with the service level that is required to be provided under the contract.  Should service levels not be achieved, then in line with contractual payment mechanisms, deductions are applied and appropriate mitigating actions agreed to address any deficiencies.

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what are thedetails of all private finance initiative contracts that were agreed by Highways England, includingthe (1)costs, (2) scope, and (3) length of time thatthey will run.

baroness vere of norbiton: Details of all private finance initiative contracts that were agreed by Highways England, including the (1) costs, (2) scope, and (3) length of time that they will run, are detailed in the attached document. 



Table document for HE PFI contracts
(Word Document, 25.69 KB)

South Western Railway: Finance

baroness randerson: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the financial position of the South Western Railway franchise; and how much they have received in premium payments from that operator since the start of the franchise.

baroness vere of norbiton: Financial performance data is received every four weeks from train operators. The Department closely monitors these commercially confidential reports to ensure that the train operators remain compliant with the obligations within their Franchise Agreements. From the start of their franchise contract (August 2017) to the end of the most recent financial year (March 2019), First MTR South Western Trains Ltd paid a total £326m in premium to the Government. This is closely aligned with the premium forecasts made for this period at the time of franchise bid. The franchise contract core term runs to August 2024.

Bicycles: Hire Services

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they intend to consult on changing the law around the ability of members of the public, councils and any other organisations (1) to remove, (2) to take, (3) to destroy, or (4) to otherwise dispose of, undocked bikes for hire which have been left on pavements.

baroness vere of norbiton: Local authorities already have powers to deal with hire bicycles if they are causing an obstruction or nuisance, and are also able to introduce local byelaws as appropriate. The Government therefore has no immediate plans to introduce any new legislation, but will continue to monitor the impacts of bike hire schemes and to work with local authorities and scheme operators as appropriate on ways of addressing any problems that arise.

Bus Service Operators Grant

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the review of Bus Service Operators Grant announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will include the allocation of new money for the bus industry.

baroness vere of norbiton: On 30 September, the Government announced a package of funding and policy measures to support buses, set out in A Better Deal for Bus Users. This includes £220 million of new funding for buses, in addition to the £250 million paid every year in Bus Service Operators Grant. A Better Deal for Bus Users contains a commitment to review this Grant to ensure it supports the environment and improved passenger journeys. It also included a commitment to produce a National Bus Strategy for England, accompanied by a long-term funding settlement to be agreed at the next Spending Review, expected to be in Summer 2020.

Bus Services: Finance

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether their following commitments amount to new money allocated to buses: (1) £20 million for bus priority measures in the West Midlands, (2) up to £50 million to deliver Britain's first all-electric bus town or city, (3) £30 million to local government to improve services or restore services which have been lost, and (4) £20 million to support demand-responsive services.

baroness vere of norbiton: All of these projects are within the £220 million announced by the Government on 30 September, and comprise additional funding on top of the £250m that the Government already spends every year supporting bus services.

A34: Accidents

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many fatal and serious injury accidents there have been on the A34 between junction 9 with the M40 and junction 9 with the M3 over the last five years; and how many of these have involved a heavy goods vehicle.

baroness vere of norbiton: The number of fatal and serious accidents occurring on the A34 between junction 9 with the M40 and junction 9 with the M3 for the last five years for which figures are available is given in the table below. The junction roundabouts on either end of the A34 where they connect to the motorways have been included in these statistics. Number of fatal or serious reported road accidents on the A34 between junction 9 with the M40 and junction 9 with the M3, 2014 to 2018  YearTotal number of accidentsAccidents involving an HGV   20142911   2015225   2016318   2017196   2018156 Source: DfT, STATS19

Railways

lord bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the loss of fuel duty revenue is taken into account when evaluating the benefits of modal shift from road to rail.

baroness vere of norbiton: The Mode Shift Revenue Support scheme encourages modal shift from road to rail (or inland waterway) where the costs are higher than road, and where there are environmental benefits to be gained. The net assessed benefits, or potential benefits in the case of flows not supported by grant, include consideration of the effects on fuel duty revenue. There is published information about the assessment of user benefits related to freight mode shift grants on gov.uk.

Bus Services: Fares

the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the forthcoming national bus strategy will include provision to make buses affordable for families in temporary accommodation.

baroness vere of norbiton: Transport can be a lifeline for communities and people who could otherwise be isolated. The forthcoming National Bus Strategy for England will focus on the needs of passengers and will set out how national and local government and the private sector will come together to meet the needs of local communities. The full scope of the strategy is currently being developed.

Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Carbon Emissions

lord hutton of furness: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their commitment to reduce carbon emissions to net-zero by 2050, made on 27 June, what plans they have to require that all new (1) policy, (2) legislation, and (3) regulations, are accompanied by impact assessments setting out their effect on carbon emissions.

lord duncan of springbank: The template government officials use when completing a regulatory impact assessment for government policy already requires that information is provided to answer the question “what is the CO2 equivalent change in greenhouse gas emissions” for the respective policy.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

lord foulkes of cumnock: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their announcement in June that the Smart Export Guarantee(SEG) will come into force from 1 January 2020 and that there will befive eligible low-carbon technology types for the proposed SEG Tariff, namely solar photovoltaic, wind, micro combined heat and power, and hydro and anaerobic digestion, whether eligible utilities will be required to offer a single SEG Tariff to community generators, regardless of generation type; or whether they will be required to offer one tariff for each technology type.

lord duncan of springbank: The Smart Export Guarantee (SEG) will require licensed suppliers with 150,000 and over domestic customers to provide at least one tariff offer to any eligible exporter, they are free to offer more than one tariff. Other suppliers may participate on a voluntary basis.Suppliers will not be required to offer different tariffs for each technology type. In keeping SEG requirements as simple as possible, suppliers will have maximum flexibility to build on it, adapt and innovate – for example by tailoring tariffs to appeal to owners of various types of small-scale generation, as well as wider smart infrastructure such as electric vehicles and domestic-scale storage systems.

Design of UK Funding Schemes for European and International Collaboration Review

lord fox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whenthey (1) received, and (2) will publish, the report by Sir Adrian Smith and Prof. Graeme Reid Future frameworks for international collaboration on research and innovation.

lord duncan of springbank: My rt. hon. Friend Mr Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Spring Statement on 13 March 2019 that the Government had launched an independent review to assess and make recommendations on our future frameworks for international collaboration. On 26 March 2019, my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Universities, Science, Research and Innovation commissioned Professor Sir Adrian Smith to provide independent advice on the design of future UK funding schemes for international collaboration. The report was received in the summer and we will publish the response as soon as possible.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Greece: Asylum

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatsteps, if any, they are taking to ensure the provision of essential healthcare and mental healthcare for unaccompanied minors in Greece.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The Greek Government is responsible for supporting migrants on arrival in Greece, including healthcare for unaccompanied minors. The EU has allocated over €2 billion since 2015 to support Greek handling of migration and border management. The United Kingdom is also providing bilateral support. This includes, in 2019, funding a shelter for the most vulnerable unaccompanied children who arrive in Samos. In addition, under Section 67 of the 2016 Immigration Act (the "Dubs Amendment") the United Kingdom is accepting the transfer of some of the most vulnerable unaccompanied children from Greece.

France: Asylum

lord hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to consult Médecins Sans Frontières about the ways in which healthcare for unaccompanied asylum-seeking young people in France can be improved, including psycho-social support.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​We do not currently have any plans to consult with Médecins Sans Frontières.The UK will continue to work closely with the French authorities, our international partners, and local stakeholders on this issue, as underpinned by the Sandhurst Treaty. This makes specific provision for improving conditions for migrants in France, including facilitating the transfer of unaccompanied minors to the UK under national relocation schemes and improving access to French domestic asylum procedures.We remain committed to engaging actively in shaping the international response on migration.

Hong Kong: Elections

lord alton of liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether there is any international initiative to send independent observers to monitor the local district council elections in Hong Kongdue to be held on 24 November; and what assessment they have made of the basis on which those elections are being held.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: We are not aware of any initiative to send international observers to monitor the upcoming District Council elections in Hong Kong. The Hong Kong district council elections will be an important opportunity for the citizens of Hong Kong to use the rights enshrined in the Basic Law to make their voices heard. With this in mind, we will of course follow the conduct of the elections closely.

Catalonia: Sovereignty

lord blencathra: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Spain about that government's treatment of protesters in Catalonia and Barcelona.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: ​I am saddened that a minority of protesters have resorted to violence in Catalonia. It is important that all parties work to resolve their political differences peacefully and in line with the Spanish legal framework and constitution. The Government has been clear that the situation in the Autonomous Community of Catalonia is a matter for Spain, and that questions related to the issue of independence should be resolved within the proper constitutional and legal channels. The Minister for Europe and the Americas recently outlined this position to the Spanish Ambassador, and in Parliament on 15 October.

Zimbabwe: Politics and Government

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their latest assessment of the political and social situation in Zimbabwe.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: I refer to the statement made by the Minister for Africa to the House on 3 September, Official report, volume 664, column 11. The UK is seriously concerned about the increasing numbers of abductions, arrests and assault of civil society, trade union and opposition activists and the banning of protests in Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe remains one of the UK’s 30 Human Rights Priority Countries globally. The UK Ambassador met the Zimbabwean Foreign Minister on 18 October and discussed the economic crisis and political situation in Zimbabwe, reinforcing the need for comprehensive political and economic reform and the protection of the poorest.The UK is providing £128 million of aid to Zimbabwe in 2019/20 focusing on poverty reduction, humanitarian assistance and standing up for human rights and the rule of law. No money is channelled directly through the government. After the United Nations Flash Appeal, DFID has committed £49 million through a new Zimbabwe Humanitarian and Resilience Programme (ZHARP) to support people who do not have access to the food they need.

Russia: Foreign Relations

viscount waverley: To ask Her Majesty's Government to which UK–Russia cooperative activities in (1) Moscow, and (2) other regions of the Russian Federation, they have provided funding for over the past year.

lord ahmad of wimbledon: The United Kingdom currently provides funding in support of a range of programme activity in Russia across Moscow and other regions primarily to support people to people links and support civil society in areas such as human rights, climate change, science, tourism, sport, and trade. The Foreign & Commonwealth Office is responsible for managing the Russia programme, however we work collaboratively across Government to ensure activities reflect a broad perspective.

Northern Ireland Office

Police: Northern Ireland

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland's opposition to an amnesty for members of the security forces who served in the Troubles.

lord duncan of springbank: The Northern Ireland Office recently published a summary report of all responses to the consultation on the Stormont House Agreement proposals to deal with the legacy of the past. The Police Federation’s response, one of the 17,000 received, contained a range of views on addressing the past, including opposition to amnesties. The clear majority of all respondents to the consultation argued that a Statute of Limitations or amnesty would not be appropriate for Troubles-related matters. The Government has always shared the view that amnesties are not the right approach and believes that justice should be pursued. The Police Federation’s response to the consultation, along with all others, is being taken into consideration as the Government continues to work with people in Westminster and Northern Ireland to find a fair way forward on this issue.

Department of Health and Social Care

Pregnancy: Alcoholic Drinks

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the research by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Pregnancy, Fertility, Breastfeeding, and Alcohol Consumption: An Analysis of Framing and Completeness of Information Disseminated by Alcohol Industry–Funded Organizations, published on 13 October, which found that the information provided by alcohol industry-funded organisations is misleading about the risks to pregnant women of consuming alcohol, what steps they intend to taketo ensure that pregnant women are given accurate information about such risks.

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the research by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine Pregnancy, Fertility, Breastfeeding, and Alcohol Consumption: An Analysis of Framing and Completeness of Information Disseminated by Alcohol Industry–Funded Organizations, published on 13 October, what plans they have to make warnings of the risks of consuming alcohol in pregnancy mandatory.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government is very clear about the dangers that alcohol poses to the unborn child and reflects this in the advice it gives. The United Kingdom Chief Medical Officers’ low risk drinking guidelines published in 2016 provide clear advice to women not to drink alcohol if they are planning for a pregnancy or are pregnant. The National Health Service online information also reflects this advice.Additionally, the Government has been clear that the alcohol industry must reflect the UK Chief Medical Officers' alcohol guidelines on the labels of their products which includes a no drinking in pregnancy logo. Public Health England, NHS England and local commissioners are already undertaking awareness and education on the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant.

Alcoholic Drinks: Labelling

baroness hayter of kentish town: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take to ensure that they meet the deadline to remove the out-of-date Chief Medical Officer’s guidelines from alcohol product labels.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Government has worked with industry to ensure that alcohol labels reflect the United Kingdom Chief Medical Officer’s Low Risk Drinking Guidelines for drinks produced after 1 September 2019. The industry has committed to comply with this requirement. Local trading standards have powers to remove products manufactured after 1 September 2019, where those products have labels which include the old guidelines. Stock produced before 1 September 2019 can be sold through.

Abortion: Northern Ireland

baroness o'loan: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether women in Northern Ireland considering an abortion between 22 October 2019 and 31 March 2020 will be offered counselling equivalent to that offered to women in England and Wales.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: The Northern Ireland Executive was not restored by 21 October 2019, so section 9 of the Northern Ireland (Executive Formation etc) Act 2019 has now come into force, providing for the decriminalisation of abortion in Northern Ireland in relation to sections 58 and 59 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861. The United Kingdom Government is now under a duty to bring forward regulations to introduce a new legal framework for abortion in Northern Ireland by 31 March 2020 and has published guidance for healthcare professionals in Northern Ireland on abortion law for the period 22 October 2019 to 31 March 2020. This makes clear that abortion services are not expected to be routinely available in Northern Ireland before 31 March 2020.The UK Government-funded Central Booking System (CBS) has been in operation since March 2018 as a single point of contact for women in Northern Ireland to access abortion care in England. The CBS, and abortion care provided under the scheme, will continue to offer the same service and care package to women from Northern Ireland between 22 October 2019 and 31 March 2020. During this period women from Northern Ireland will be able to have all travel and, where needed, accommodation paid for without any means testing. The package of care offered to women from Northern Ireland is equivalent to the package of care offered to women from England and includes a consultation including impartial information/advice, and where needed, counselling with an abortion provider in England.

General Practitioners: Fees and Charges

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress theyhave made in ending the charging of victims of domestic violence by some GPs for letters confirming their injuries in order to get access to other services.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: Negotiations are held annually between NHS England and the British Medical Association over amendments to the general practitioner contract. For the 2020/21 negotiations, the Department has asked NHS England to look at improving the system of evidence provision in relation to benefit assessments and legal aid applications for victims of domestic violence. We are working closely on this with the Department for Work and Pensions and the Ministry of Justice.

Essential Tremor: Ultrasonics

lord borwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what progress NHS England has made to commission MR-guided focused ultrasound for patients with essential tremor.

baroness blackwood of north oxford: NHS England is part way through the process of developing a clinical commissioning policy for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) for treating essential tremor. Stakeholder engagement will be taking place in the next few weeks. If there is a need for additional investment to support the introduction of this new service this will be considered in the next relative prioritisation round, alongside other interventions requiring new investment.The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published interventional procedure guidance on the use of MRgFUS as a treatment for essential tremor in June 2018. A copy of Unilateral MRI-guided focused ultrasound thalamotomy for treatment-resistant essential tremor is attached.



NICE guidance MRI for essential tremor
(PDF Document, 80.98 KB)

Department for Education

School Meals

baroness bennett of manor castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what percentage of food served in English schools is (a) organic, and (b) locally sourced; and what plans they have, if any, to increase that percentage.

lord agnew of oulton: Schools are responsible for their school meals service and how and where they choose to buy their produce. The department does not hold the information on what percentage of food is organic and locally sourced. Schools may use the guidance launched alongside the government’s 'Plan for Public Procurement: Food and Catering Services'. The guidance provides a methodology which helps contracting parties balance a range of criteria when procuring food and catering services. These include production standards, health and wellbeing, resource efficiency, socio-economic factors, quality of service and price. The guidance has been attached and is available from:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/a-plan-for-public-procurement-food-and-catering.



HL240_guidance
(PDF Document, 2.65 MB)

Durham Commission on Creativity and Education

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Durham Commission on Creativity and Education report, published on 18 October.

lord agnew of oulton: The Durham Commission on Creativity and Education report recognises the importance of a knowledge-based curriculum in unlocking creativity and we will consider its recommendations. The government believes that mastering the basics in any subject is at the heart of creativity. That is why we have reformed the primary and secondary curriculum so that pupils are equipped with the fundamental knowledge they need and the skills to use that knowledge to explore subjects in depth.

Alternative Education

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children are in Alternative Provision.

lord storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many providers of Alternative Provision are registered.

lord agnew of oulton: In January 2019, 16,134 pupils solely or mainly attended state-funded alternative provision (AP) at a pupil referral unit, AP academy or free school. A further 10,288 pupils attended this type of provision in addition to their main provider. As of October 2019, there are 327 alternative providers (including pupil referral units, AP academies and free schools). An additional 26,128 pupils attended other forms of AP for which they received local authority funding. This includes independent schools, further education colleges offering pre-16 provision, and unregistered settings including home schooling. As such, there is no central list of these providers. The department is currently looking closely at what we need to do to ensure AP provides high quality education and the right support for these children that will enable them to succeed. The department wants to be as ambitious for them as we are for all children and young people. As part of this the government has launched a £4 million AP Innovation Fund which is delivering 9 projects focused on testing ways to improve outcomes for children in AP.

Pre-school Education: Recruitment

the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to attract recruits into early years provision.

lord agnew of oulton: Employers in the early years sector are responsible for recruiting and setting the pay and conditions for their employees, within the statutory requirements set by government (for example, the national minimum wage).Early years employers that do not pay the apprenticeship levy can receive up to 95% co-investment from the government towards the cost of apprenticeship training. Trailblazer groups of employers, supported by the Institute for Apprenticeships, are also developing new standards for early years at levels 2, 5 and 6.In March 2017, the department published the early years workforce strategy which outlined government's plans to support employers to attract, retain and develop early years staff to deliver high quality provision. The strategy is attached.As a result of the strategy we have worked with sector stakeholders to develop criteria for new more robust level 2 qualifications, as well as developing new career pathways information to support careers advice, recruitment and staff development. The new career pathways map is attached.



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Pre-school Education: Labour Turnover

the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government what the turnover of staff in early years provision has been in each of the last five years in England, Wales and Scotland.

lord agnew of oulton: The information requested on the turnover of staff in early years provision is not held centrally. Early years policy is a devolved matter and data collection is determined by the devolved administrations.

Pre-school Education: Recruitment

the earl of listowel: To ask Her Majesty's Government what lessons can be learned from the recruitment of teachers and social workers for the recruitment of staff to early years provision.

lord agnew of oulton: The challenges for recruitment and retention, and the appropriate response to these, will differ between sectors. The department has worked with the sector to develop an early years workforce strategy, published in March 2017 and attached. This set out how government will support employers to attract, retain and develop high quality early years staff. Since then we have worked with sector stakeholders to develop criteria for new more robust level 2 qualifications, awarded a grant to take forward activity to promote gender diversity in the early years workforce, and created a new career progression document to support careers advice, recruitment and staff development. The early years careers progression map is attached. We are also supporting employer trailblazer groups to develop new apprenticeship standards for the early years workforce and investing £20m in in-service professional development and training for early years practitioners in pre-reception settings in disadvantaged areas. 



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Universities: Racial Harassment

lord boateng: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proposals they will make in response to the report of the Equality and Human Rights CommissionTackling Racial Harassment: Universities Challenged, published on 23 October.

baroness berridge: Racial harassment is unacceptable and we cannot tolerate staff and students being victims of it at our world-leading universities. Higher education providers have clear responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and should discharge their responsibilities fully and have robust policies and procedures in place to comply with the law, to investigate and swiftly address incidents reported to them. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) inquiry has made an important contribution to our knowledge of the extent of racism in higher education. The government will look closely at EHRC’s recommendations. Although some progress has been made, it is clear there is still more to do. Universities have clear responsibilities in this regard and I expect them to take these seriously.

Universities: Racial Harassment

lord taylor of warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with UniversitiesUK about the steps it is taking to reduce racial abuse on campuses.

baroness berridge: Racial harassment is unacceptable and we cannot tolerate staff and students being victims of it at our world-leading universities. Higher education providers have clear responsibilities under the Equality Act 2010 and should discharge their responsibilities fully and have robust policies and procedures in place to comply with the law, to investigate and swiftly address incidents reported to them. The government will continue to work closely with partners, including Universities UK (UUK) and the Office for Students (OfS), to drive progress on matters of racial harassment and hatred in higher education. Department for Education officials meet with UUK and OfS at least quarterly to discuss progress on this area, drive momentum and communicate the government’s priorities.

Ministry of Defence

Army: Medical Examinations

lord robathan: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many medical examinations an applicant for the army is required to attend, broken down by (1) officers, and (2) other ranks; how long those examinations remain valid if passed; on how many occasions applicants have been required to attend (a) one, and (b) more than one, extra examination in the last three years; and what estimate they have made of the cost to the army of any extra examinations, including the issue of travel warrants to applicants.

baroness goldie: There is one physical medical examination for both officers and other ranks, Regular and Reserve (the Pre-Service Medical Assessment (PSMA)), the results of which remain valid for one year.Over the last three full financial years, some 1,163 specialist opinions in addition to the PSMA have been sought. Of these, 23 have required another further appointment.If an applicant is found to be medically unsuitable for service, they may appeal. As part of providing evidence for their appeal, they may wish to seek further medical advice. This would be at the personal cost of the applicant.The Army estimates that around £156,000 has been spent over the last three full financial years on additional medical referrals, including travel.

Army: Recruitment

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what lessons they learned from their decision to award Capita a contract to manage army recruitment; and what steps they are taking in response to that learning.

baroness goldie: As identified by the National Audit Office in December 2018, responsibility for the challenges faced for Army recruiting lies with both the Army and Capita. Many of these challenges including some of the steps taken to address them are set out in the National Audit Office's report.The Government has established a Strategic Partnering Programme which monitors performance of companies such as Capita across HMG contracts. This enables those closest to the day-to-day delivery, in this case the recruitment experts within both Capita and the Army, to work together with contract staff to make improvements. The aim is to resolve issues at the operating level using this expertise, rather than escalating the issue.

Afghanistan: Armed Forces

baroness coussins: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Goldie on 22 October (HL21, previously HL18069), what is the new policy relating to threats to and intimidation of interpreters in theatre in Afghanistan; and how it differs from the previous policy.

baroness goldie: The Ministry of Defence has not previously placed a formal obligation upon contractors providing services in operational theatres to provide support to local employees who might face increased risk as a result of their association with the UK Armed Forces.Under the new approach, the requirement for contractors to do so will be included within the Statements of Requirement for services where the Department has assessed that individuals recruited locally by the contractor could be at risk of being intimidated as a result of their association with UK Armed Forces such as the provision of interpreter support in countries including, but not limited to, Afghanistan. The Ministry of Defence would expect that any contractor working in these locations would undertake a range of measures that would effectively mitigate threats to employees. The cost of any such measures would be included in the costs charged to the Ministry of Defence.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Agriculture: Seasonal Workers

baroness jones of whitchurch: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the tonnage of UK fruit and vegetables thatwere not harvested and left in the fields as a result of a shortage of seasonal workers.

lord gardiner of kimble: Defra produces annual estimates of horticultural crop production. These estimates include tonnage, value and imports/exports which allow the Government to monitor productivity and competitiveness within the industry including supply and self-sufficiency. No estimates are made for the tonnage of crops left unharvested for any reason. As a result, no data is available to answer this question.

Home Office

Hate Crime

lord bourne of aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have (1) to encourage the reporting of hate crime, and (2) to achieve successful prosecutions for hate crime.

baroness williams of trafford: Police recorded hate crime has more than doubled over the period 2012/13 to 2018/19, with 103,379 hate crimes being recorded in 2018/19- an increase of 10 per cent compared with 2017/2018 (94,121 offences). This increase is thought to be driven largely by improvements in police recording practices, as well as better identification of hate crimes, willingness of victims to come forward, and a genuine increase in these offences around certain events. Better recording is an important part of how to tackle hate crime and support victims.However, this Government recognises that there is no room for complacency given the impact of hate crimes on victims, their families and wider communities. The Hate Crime Action Plan refresh published in October 2018 sets out a comprehensive plan for tackling the issue. This includes work under 5 key themes: preventing hate crime by challenging beliefs and attitudes; responding to hate crime within our communities; increasing the reporting of hate crime; improving support for victims of hate crime; and building our understanding of hate crime.A number of steps have been taken to improve the effectiveness of prosecutions. The CPS has delivered mandatory face to face training for prosecutors and conducts assurance checks on hate crime cases to ensure they are dealt with effectively. The CPS Hate Crime Annual Report shows that the conviction rate for hate crime prosecutions remains steady at 84.3% and the proportion of cases where the CPS was successful in achieving uplifted sentences increased from 67.1% in 2017-18, to 73.6% in 2018-19.Work includes supporting reporting mechanisms such as the police reporting portal TrueVision, the online hate crime hub and third party reporting centres like Tell MAMA as well as improving general understanding of hate crime through activities like the public awareness campaign.

Extinction Rebellion: Demonstrations

lord greaves: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to recent events relating to the Extinction Rebellion protests in London, whatassessment they have made of the balance between the rights of freedom of expression, association and assembly under the Convention of Human Rights and the Human Rights Act 1998, and matters of public order and nuisance; in particular, what assessment they have made of the question of conspiracy offences and the protection of those rights; and what steps they intend to take in response to any such assessments.

baroness williams of trafford: The right to protest peacefully is a long-standing tradition in this country and a vital foundation of our democracy.There is, of course, a balance to be struck. Protestors’ rights need to be balanced with the rights of others to go about their business. Rights to peaceful protest do not extend to unlawful activity and the police have powers to deal with any such acts.

Cabinet Office

Elections: Proof of Identity

lord crisp: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they intend to take to ensure that the application process for anyfree alternative form of electoral IDis well publicised and accessible.

the earl of courtown: Voter ID is part of a body of work this Government is delivering to strengthen the integrity of our electoral system and give the public confidence that our elections are secure and fit for the 21st century. As was the case in the 2018 and 2019 voter ID pilots, electors who do not have any of the required types of ID will be able to apply for a locally issued electoral identity document, free of charge.The Electoral Commission will be responsible for the national awareness raising campaign to ensure that all voters know how to ensure they have the ID required to vote. A great deal of work was done by each local authority in the voter ID pilots to ensure all voters were aware of the requirement to provide ID and they were able to obtain locally issued ID if required.We will continue working with the pilot authorities who have tested voter ID, the Electoral Commission, and the Cabinet Office pilot and reference group to develop a secure and accessible process for national implementation.

Fraud: Internet

lord robathan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the level of online fraud in each year from 2015 to 2019; whether that level has increased; and if so, how any increase compares to the number of other reported crimes.

the earl of courtown: The information requested falls under the remit of the UK Statistics Authority. I have therefore asked the Authority to respond.Professor Sir Ian Diamond | National StatisticianRt Hon. the Lord RobathanHouse of LordsLondonSW1A 0PW 25 October 2019Dear Lord Robathan, As National Statistician and Chief Executive of the UK Statistics Authority I am responding to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate has been made of the level of online fraud in each year from 2015 to 2019; whether that level increased and if so, how any increase compares to the number of other reported crimes (HL361).The Office for National Statistics (ONS) publishes figures on crime in England and Wales based on two main data sources: Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) and police recorded crime. The Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW) is face-to-face victimisation survey in which people resident in households in England and Wales are asked about their experiences of a range of crimes, including fraud, in the 12 months prior to interview. Police recorded crime data for fraud offences incorporates information collated by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB).The CSEW provides the best measure of fraud offences directly experienced by individuals in England and Wales. Online fraud are cases when the internet or any type of online activity was related to any aspect of the offence. Comparable data for this offence are only available from 2016 as victimisation questions on fraud are relatively new to the survey[1].Table 1 sets out incidents of fraud and online fraud measured by CSEW from the year ending March 2017 to March 2019. There has been a 16% rise in online fraud (to 3.4 million offences) in the last year. However, the latest figure is at a similar level to that seen in the year ending March 2017. All CSEW crime excluding fraud and computer misuse showed no change over this period, despite some apparent fluctuation over the last two years.The ONS also publishes quarterly data on individual crime types covering England and Wales with associated Appendix Tables[2]Yours sincerely,Professor Sir Ian Diamond Table 1: Incidents of fraud and online fraud, year ending March 2017 to March 2019 CSEW[3][4] England and Wales  Adults aged 16 and over  April 2018 to March 2019 compared with: Offence group[1]Apr '16 to Mar '17Apr '17 to Mar '18Apr '18 to Mar '19 Apr '16 to Mar '17Apr '17 to Mar '18  Number of incidents (thousands) Percentage change and significance Fraud3,3953,2553,809 12* 17 * Online Fraud[2]1,9161,7562,043 716*   Unweighted base17,17125,72534,163[1] See Section 5 of the User Guide for more information about the crime types included in this table. [2] Online Fraud represents fraud cases that were flagged as cyber because the internet or any type of online activity was related to any aspect of the offence.Source: Crime Survey for England and Wales, Office for National Statistics[1] The victimisation questions on fraud and computer misuse were incorporated into the CSEW from October 2015. Up to September 2017 the questions were asked of half the survey sample. From October 2017 onwards the questions are being asked of a full survey sample.[2]https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/crimeandjustice/bulletins/crimeinenglandandwales/yearendingjune2019[3] New victimisation questions on fraud and computer misuse were incorporated into the CSEW from October 2015. Up to September 2017 the questions were asked of half the survey sample. From October 2017 onwards the questions are being asked of a full survey sample.[4] In March 2018 the new CSEW estimates on fraud and computer misuse were assessed by the Office for Statistics Regulation against the Code of Practice for Statistics and were awarded National Statistics status.[5] See Section 5 of the User Guide for more information about the crime types included in this table.[6] Online Fraud represents fraud cases that were flagged as cyber because the internet or any type of online activity was related to any aspect of the offence.

Public Sector: Contracts

lord touhig: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to create an outsourcing regulator with powers to intervene to prevent the waste of taxpayers' money, as advocated by the Reform think tank.

the earl of courtown: This government will always champion the private sector's vital role in delivering our public services. The Government is committed to delivering value for money but has no plans to create an outsourcing regulator. The Government has recognised the need for reform and over the past year the Government has made great strides in improving how we work with the private sector with the introduction of the Outsourcing Playbook in February 2019. The Outsourcing Playbook sets out eleven new policies to ensure contracts are set up for success and services are protected in the event of a corporate failure.The Cabinet Office is working with departments to implement the Playbook across all central Government departments and arm’s-length bodies.

Brexit: Advertising

baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the advert placed in Le Monde on 23 February entitled Brexit—31st October cost.

the earl of courtown: Her Majesty’s Government did not place any adverts in Le Monde on 23 February.

Brexit: Advertising

baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many advertsthey have placed in newspapers in EU27 countries alerting businesses to Brexit on 31 October; and what was the total cost of those adverts.

the earl of courtown: “Get Ready for Brexit” campaign activity has taken place in all 27 EU countries to make sure citizens and businesses have the facts they need to know about the steps they need to take to be ready for when the UK leaves the EU.The overall costs of the public information campaign will be published monthly on a rolling basis as part of routine government transparency.

Brexit: Advertising

baroness altmann: To ask Her Majesty's Government how muchthey have spent on (1) motorway advertising, (2) newspaper advertisements, and (3) other public information campaigns,in the past 12 months,about preparing for the possibility of a no-deal Brexit.

the earl of courtown: ‘Get Ready for Brexit’ is a cross-government campaign using national advertising including TV, radio, press, digital and outdoor advertising. It also includes direct engagement and local elements including business preparedness events, ministerial visits and local authority activity.The cost of the public information campaign will be published monthly on a rolling basis, as part of routine government transparency arrangements.

*No heading*

baroness quin: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much it cost to place the advert in Le Monde on 23 October entitled Brexit—31st October.

the earl of courtown: Information relating to individual adverts in specific locations is only obtainable at disproportionate cost.

Treasury

Customs: Staff

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many qualified customs agents there are; and what assessment they have made of the adequacy of that number.

the earl of courtown: The customs intermediaries sector in the UK is unregulated and there is no requirement for registration or qualification, so the precise volume of qualified agents is complex to establish. HMRC have engaged extensively with the customs intermediaries sector on the sector’s concerns about demand for customs broker services post-EU exit and a possible short-fall in capacity. That is why HMRC have made £34m available to support the sector with training, improvements in automation, and recruitment of customs agents. This has funded approximately 2200 training courses to train staff in customs process and procedures, and funded the creation of a new UK Customs Academy which will provide online training courses and industry-recognised qualifications. The grant schemes remain open until 31 January 2020.

Credit Unions

lord kennedy of southwark: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to review the regulations concerning credit unions.

the earl of courtown: In 2014, the Government undertook a call for evidence to understand the appropriate steps that could be taken to support the credit union sector. Subsequently, the maximum interest a credit union can charge on loans was raised from 2% to 3% per month, and the upper limit on the geographical common bond was raised from 2 to 3 million people.The Government continues to be open to considering the case for further reform. ABCUL, the sector’s largest trade body, is currently carrying out a sector-wide consultation which is due to conclude later this year. HMT will consider its conclusions in the development of future credit union policy. At Autumn Budget 2018, the Government announced a package of measures to support credit unions, and other social and community lenders, including:A £2 million affordable credit challenge fund, harnessing the UK’s FinTech sector to address challenges faced by social and community lenders, including credit unions.A change in the regulatory boundary of credit broking to make it easier for registered social landlords such as housing associations to refer their tenants to social and community lenders.A prize-linked savings pilot scheme, to encourage the growth of the credit union sector and encourage consumers to build up their personal savings. This pilot launched on October 17th, International Credit Union Day, in 13 credit unions around the country, with 2 more credit unions due to join the pilot.A feasibility study to design a pilot for a UK No-Interest Loans Scheme. The PRA have also proposed a simplified, proportional capital requirement regime for credit unions in their recently published consultation.

Funding Secure: Insolvency

lord myners: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to establish an independent inquiry into the failure of peer-to-peer lender Fund Secure; andon which datethey first became aware that the firm was experiencing difficulty.

the earl of courtown: The Government does not intend to establish an inquiry into the failure of the peer-to-peer (P2P) lending platform Funding Secure, which entered into administration on 23 October. The Government monitors the P2P lending sector on an ongoing basis and engages regularly with P2P platforms and the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), who are responsible for the regulation of the sector. The FCA is operationally independent from Government. The second part of the question as it relates to the FCA has been passed on to the FCA. The FCA will reply directly to Lord Myners by letter and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Fuels: Tax Evasion

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the estimated loss of revenue to HM Treasury as a result of the sale and distribution, within the UK, of laundered fuel, in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many fuel laundering plants have been discovered and decommissioned in (1) Northern Ireland, and (2) Great Britain, in the last three years for which figures are available.

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the effectiveness and depth of co-operation with the authorities in the Republic of Ireland in theirattempts to disrupt and prevent the illegal laundering and distribution of fuel.

lord empey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many successful prosecutions have been brought against those charged with the illegal laundering, distribution and sale of fuel in the UK in the last three years for which figures are available.

the earl of courtown: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) estimates the difference between expected revenues and the tax that is actually paid in the annual publication, Measuring Tax Gaps. These estimates cannot be disaggregated by type of fraud, for example laundering. HMRC has estimated the total oils (fuel duty) tax gap (including VAT) as follows: £200 million in 2017-18£200 million in 2016-17 The estimate for 2015-16 was calculated using a different methodology and therefore cannot be compared to the estimates for subsequent years. The oils tax gap for 2015-16 was estimated to be less than £100 million. The table below details the number of laundering plants detected by HMRC in NI & GB in each of the last three financial years. LAUNDERING PLANT DETECTIONSYEARNIGB2016-17562017-181022018-1973 The routine sharing of information to identify trends and emerging threats developed over many years through the Cross Border Fuel Fraud Group has continued and further built upon by the Cross Border Joint Agency Task Force introduced as part of the Stormont House (Fresh Start) Agreement. HMRC and the Revenue Commissioners together with other partner agencies are represented at both the regular Strategic and Operational meetings and this continued collaboration has been key to successfully identifying and interdicting fuel related fraud in both jurisdictions. The table below details the number of convictions secured for oils related criminality in the UK in each of last three financial years. Financial YearNumber of UK Convictions16/172517/18618/197